BASKETBALL SACRED HEART TAKES LEAD IN COMPETITION

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29265, 25 July 1960, Page 5

BASKETBALL SACRED HEART TAKES LEAD IN COMPETITION

By a four-goal margin, Sacred Heart beat West A in the eleventh round of games in the Canterbury Basketball Association's senior competiitaon. This win places Sacred Heart in the lead. Its closest rivals, Kakatai, was held to a draw by Technical, and West B finished strongly to defeat Teachers’ College. St. Nicholas had the bye. Saturday’s games, played in perfect conditions, attracted a large following cf club supporters and the first two games provided spectators with close, exciting basketball. Results of games were:— f Sacred Heart 31, West A 27. Technical 25, Kakatai 25. West B 23, Teachers* College 18. Competition points: Sacred Heart 16, Kakatai 15. Technical 13, Teachers’ College 11. West A 10, West B 5, St. Nicholas 2. SACRED HEART V. WEST A Sacred Heart won the toss and from its throw-off play reached the circle where the first shot missed and West A defence failed to prevent the Sacred Heart forwards regaining possession. Its second attempt was successful and West equalised from its th row-off. Both teams were moving well and the West A forwards, C. McMaster and J. Wright, were combining with an easy fluency which Sacred Heart defence could not match. Scores were level at 3-all, but Sacred Heart was again placed on attack when defence A. Coleman saved well and Sacred Heart held a two-goal lead. Both teams were playing .with commendable restraint at this stage and infringements were kept to a minimum. West A forwards goaled with great accuracy and in these early stages had a slight edge on their opponents, but the Sacred Heart centres. N. Fahey, B. McAleer and P. Lawson, were assiduous in their efforts to keep the Sacred * Heart forwards on attack. Even when the shots were missed, the play of this trio was largely responsible for Sacred Heart retaining the initiative. The West defence. P. Bennett, and B. Blake, played with determination for much of this spell, but just before half-time, their steadiness slackened and Sacred Heart’s J. Martin and M. Murray made excellent use of this lapse. Sacred Heart went into a three-goal lead. West forward C. McMaster goaled from the throw-off and by half-time the score was Sacred Heart 17, West A 15.

West goaled immediately play resumed and the game grew tense and exciting when Sacred Heart’s next two attemos to goal failed. Play reached the West goal area, but the West forwards missed three attempts. Sacred Heart’s defence, E. Back, retrieved skilfully to give Sacred Heart possession. J. Martin’s superb shot from just inside the circle brought gasps of relief from the packed stands and Sacred Heart again lead by two goals. West counter-attacked with some uncertainty and when the Sacred Heart wing defence. P. Lawson, injured an ankle and play was held up for five minutes, both teams used this spell to review their tactics. Sacred Heart’s play tightened perceptibly in the next five minutes and with former representative, J. Murray, replacing P. Lawson, Sacred Heart’s well executed moves allowed West little scope and Sacred Heart forged ahead to a four-goal lead. West attempted to reduce Sacred Heart’s superiority, but its efforts were not well enough sustained. Although Sacred Heart’s lead fluctuated considerably, the team had just sufficient in reserve to withstand West’s pressure. The final stages saw Sacred Heart playing with ease and winning narrowly though convincingly, by 31 goals to 27. Referee: Mrs A. South. KAKATAI v. TECHNICAL Forceful defensive play by Kakatai’s M. Neiman and J. Brownie enabled Kakatai to take an early lead and Technical were surprisingly slow to attain combination. Kakatai forwards L. Price and J. Dunlop were in splendid form and their capable passing in the circle gave Technical defence little scope. Kakatai led by 5 goals to 3, but when Technical found form and there was determined play by the Technical centres, M. Fisher and P. Edmonds, they penetrated Kakatai’s defence and forward K. French goaled well to level the scores at 6-all. Kakatai’s pressure increased and play reached a high standard in the ensuing, time as Kakatai attempted to build up a safe margin. Faultless play by Kakatai forwards who dominated the game at this point allowed Kakatai to gain a 6-goal lead. Technical was again placed on attack when defence C. Brown and B. Rowe intercepted, and Technical’s K. French and L. Johns, playing now with greater determination, goaled well to make the half-time score Kakatai 16. Technical 11. When play resumed. Technical centre P. Edmonds adroitly deflected Kakatai’s pass, but Kakatai defence were again adamant, and the Technical pass hit the sideline. Kakatai goaled from the throw-in and for the next few minutes the game went from one end of the court to the other. Passing was faulty and positional play almost non-existent. The Kakatai defence kept the Technical forwards closely guarded and the Technical moves rarely reached their objective unchecked. With the score at Kakatai 21, Technical 15. Technical’s enterprising forward, L. Johns, found the ring with a fine shot, and Technical teamwork took a turn for the better. Decisive moves and well-judged passes forced Kakatai defence to adopt questionable tactics and their infringement of the persona] contact and obstruction rule allowed Technical forwards to gain the inner circle and goal to come within one point of Kakatai

The final stages were very exciting. With Kakatai leading 23-22. a splendid interception by Techni-

cal defence C. Brown, allowed L.. Johns to score, and when she repeated ner success seconds later. Technical gained the lead. 24-23.

Infringement in the circle by Technical defence gave Kakatai forward L. Price the easiest of goals, but a similar infringement in the Technical goal allowed Technical to regain the lead. From the throwoff, Kakatai's J. Dunlop goaled with some nonchalance. Kakatai had forced Technical into a faulty throwoff which hit the sideline, as the final whistle sounded with the scores level. 25-25. Referee: Miss P. Gallagher. WEST B V. TEACHERS COLLEGE

West B. strengthened lor this game by the inclusion of New Zealand representative C. McMaster, goaled first and established a two-, goal lead. Teachers’ College was taking a considerable time to settle down, and missed many shots, allowing West to increase their margin to a useful lead, 6-2. The West defence, M. Islip and B. Allen, made some. good saves, and were overshadowing their College opposites fairly consistently. C. Clapnam and V. Hosking, the College forwards, found some form and began to combine more skilfully. They found the net with some good shots. Play was generally erratic, with both sides contributing mistakes which hampered the flow of play with numerous ‘stoppages. West, however, with a number of neat moves and resulting goals led at half-time. 18-8. Teachers’ College played with greater drive when play resumed and attacking hard, levelled the scores. Its success was short-lived, however, and West, with forward C. McMaster and centres M. Hopkins and M. Clarke playing well, again held the lead. 16-14, only to have College level again at 16-all. Although still erratic, play was exciting enough at this stage. L. Cosgrove and V. Hosking displayed plenty of sparkle for College as each team goaled to make the score 17-17. From this point the game ran quickly and decisively West’s way, and showing more pace and finesse they scored six goals to Teachers’ College 1. The final score was West B 23, Teachers' College 18. Referee: Mr R. Overend.